About
UsFounded in December
1997, the Calcium Metabolism and Osteoporosis Program is the first of its kind
nationally and regionally as a center of expertise for metabolic bone
disorders. Its mission is to promote excellence in clinical care, research and
education in disorders of calcium and bone metabolism. The program received the
official designation by the World Health Organization as a “WHO Collaborating
Center (WHO-CC) for Osteoporosis and Metabolic Bone Disorders” in 2010.

Our
ServicesThe Clinical Care
arm and Specialty Clinics of the Program are a major referral center nationally
and regionally for adults and pediatric patients with metabolic bone disorders.
Metabolic bone pathologies treated at our specialty clinics include:

Postmenopausal Osteoporosis

Glucocorticoid-Induced Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis in Men

Idiopathic Osteoporosis

Pediatric Juvenile Osteoporosis

Osteogenesis Imperfecta

Osteoporosis in Chronic Kidney Failure

Cancer Treatment-Induced Bone Loss

Paget ’s disease of the Bone

Fibrous Dysplasia

Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary
Hyperparathyroidism

Hypoparathyroidism

The Bone Densitometry Unit is
equipped with a state of the art Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DEXA)
machine with the latest software technology to measure the mineral density of
bones (spine, hip, and forearm) and perform total body composition analysis and
Instant Vertebral Assessment (IVA). Advanced applications include trabecular
bone score measurement, hip structural analysis, and visceral fat assessment. A bone density scan
can help provide important information for the diagnosis, treatment and
monitoring of osteoporosis and other metabolic bone disorders.

The unit is staffed
with technologists certified by the International Society of Clinical
Densitometry (ISCD). Reports are interpreted by specialized physicians licensed
by the ISCD as well. ISCD‘s Mission
Statement: To Advance Excellence in the Assessment of Skeletal Health. www.iscd.org

Who should get a bone density test? Universal
recommendations endorsed by most organizations and societies include:

Age > 65 years

History of fragility fracture

Radiologic evidence of
demineralization

Chronic cortisone therapy >3-6
month

Family history of hip fractures

Medical conditions and intake of
medications known to cause bone loss

How should I prepare for a DEXA scan?

Eat normally on the day of the test.

Avoid taking Calcium supplements for
24 hours prior to the exam.

Wear comfortable clothing without
buttons and zippers if possible. You may be asked to wear a gown before the scan.

Inform the technologist if there is a
chance you may be pregnant.

Inform the technologist if you have
had any of the following tests in the last 7 days: bone scan, angiogram, CAT
scan with contrast, myelogram, nuclear cardiology testing, received Barium or
anyother
contrast media or radioisotope during a CT or other scan.

How is the exam
performed? The DEXA test is
painless. You lie on your back while the machine moves slowly to scan the
site(s) of interest. If the bone density measurement is for your forearm, you
sit in a chair while the machine scans your forearm. Your visit takes about
15-20 minutes.

When can I pass to pick my report and scans?You may pick your
results after two working days from undergoing the DEXA scan.

Patient
Guide

What is
osteoporosis?Osteoporosis is a silent disease
until a fracture occurs. Osteoporosis is a disease characterized by a
reduced density and quality of bone occurring silently and progressively.
Consequently, as bones become more porous, the susceptibility to fractures
increases significantly. Usually, osteoporotic patients do not complain of
symptoms until first fragility fracture occurs (classical sites are: the spine,
the wrist and the hip).

How common is
osteoporosis?Osteoporosis is a very common disease. It is estimated that an osteoporotic fracture
occurs every 3 seconds worldwide. One in three women and one in five men will have a
fracture after age 50 yrs. For women this risk is higher than the risk of
breast, ovarian and uterine cancer combined. For men, the risk is higher than that for prostate
cancer.

Who is at risk?Populations at higher risk include: women, men and
women over 65-years-old, individuals with history of fragility fractures,
history of smoking, alcohol abuse, cortisone therapy, individuals with parental
history of hip fracture, and individuals with certain medical conditions or
taking certain medications known to cause accelerated bone loss (e.g.
Glucocorticoids, cancer treatments, anti-depressants, anti-epileptic drugs,
etc).

PreventionOsteoporosis prevention is a
continuous process that should start early in childhood. Although some risk
factors, such as aging and gender, cannot be controlled; others are linked to
lifestyle modifiable determinants. These include poor nutrition, insufficient
physical activity, smoking, excessive alcohol drinking, intake of carbonated
beverages, high salt diets, excess caffeine intake, all of which can negatively
affect bone density and possibly increase fracture risk.

Diagnosis and TreatmentDEXA, described earlier, is the most common
technique for assessing the risk of osteoporosis. Several effective treatments
are commonly used to treat osteoporosis, yet this has to be indicated based on
individualized clinical assessment and must be associated with relevant
lifestyle changes as recommended by the patient’s physician.

ResearchThe Program was
awarded the Outstanding Clinical Program Departmental Award on June 12, 2004.
The selection was driven by the very high productivity of the program in
research, attracting a high level of funding and its success in achieving
visibility not only nationally and regionally, but also internationally. The Program’s publications over the
last few years have achieved some of highest cumulative impact factor and
citation index institutionally. Manuscripts describing various studies/reviews
from the Program are published in the New England Journal of Medicine, The
American Society for Bone and Mineral Research, The Journal of Clinical
Endocrinology and Metabolism, Bone, The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition,
amongst others. http://staff.aub.edu.lb/~webcmop/research.html

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